Looking Back: Lessons From 2012

Growing up, I remember my Pastor would always end or begin the new year by going over what he learned or re-learned from the year. So when I was asked to teach Matt Brown’s class at Northcentral University a few weeks ago, I began to take inventory of what I was learning. I thought I would share some of what I shared with his class (and a new one just for you guys) and what has taken shape in the last year for me as we begin 2013. Hopefully these are some lessons you can learn the easy way. I think it’s good to take a moment to take inventory, look back, and remember to keep moving forward. It’s ok to look in the rearview mirror when you are moving forward.

Surround yourself with people who not only make you better, but people who see the best in you.

People you can be real around. Friends that call you to pray over you before big moments. Those who will call you just to call you out on your junk. I have made a decision I am not going to do business or do life with people that don’t make me better. I have wasted far too many days and hours with people who are just looking to see what they can get from you or what you can do for them. God has brought some amazing people into my life in the last 12-18 months.

We can do more together than we can alone.

This one is much easier if the lesson above is learned! Collaboration and Partnership is the better way. This has changed EVERYTHING for me. It may take longer, but it will be better. Working on our Capture project I have learned a lot about the power of working together. I have also learned to work with selfless people not selfish people. Egos are like big giant pot holes on the road to working together. This really hit me like a ton of bricks attending the You Lost Me: LIVE event in Nashville. When one of the speakers shared this quote “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Amazing things happen when we come together behind one goal. As I have begun to embark on this New Year, it’s already pretty clear there are some amazing things that can happen when we work together. It only works when the goal and the common good is the goal. Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers!

Create Margin in your life. Leave space for the creator to paint.

I realized I was having a hard time creating stuff because I had no blank space. No is not a bad word! Be ok with saying NO. You have to say no to the good stuff to be able to say YES to the great stuff. I remember when I took my first job as a youth pastor and I wrote “NO” on a piece of paper and stuck it to wall to empower me to say no. When our schedules are filled to the brim with stuff it’s hard to create new things. I have sat down to create and realized that my canvas was filled with junk. I have started to intentionally schedule “nothing” and put in on the calendar.

Keep your Vision Simple!

This one has been really hard for me! I like dreaming impossible dreams, and that’s ok, but it’s important to keep things simple. Dreaming the dream is easy. Articulating it to others in a way they can understand is the hard part. A pretty smart guy named Albert Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.”

Seek out Burning Bush Moments.

Moses was re-ralled. The burning bush was a place where Moses realized that he could not do and God made it clear what He could do. I love the fact that Moses got away from the noise and the crowds and God spoke through a plant! Most of us started a journey because we heard that still small voice or that loud scream, “Do _______”. Go to place where you can be renewed and reminded again of God’s call on your life. Being a part of the Orange Conference this year hearing Reggie Joiner say, “We need to stop acting like we signed up for something & start acting like we’re called to something.” Has really reminded me its about calling, don’t forget what you are called to!

I hope these help you as we head into Twenty Thirteen and do amazing things, together.

Terry Weaver

...is a speaker, author, and ideapreneur whose passion is to see others live life alive; whether through helping others see their dreams become reality, traveling around the world challenging students to change the world, leading teams of people to do more together than they could alone, or hanging out with Mickey Mouse. Terry and his wife Leslie live outside Nashville, Tennessee with their dog Gibson.

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2 days agoby terrytheweaverI will never forget standing on top of the USS Arizona Memorial knowing that thousands had died for my freedom there. History is a powerful reminder of the cost of things we forget to value. May we never forget the men and women of the greatest generation who gave so much at Pearl Harbor and in WWII. #pearlharbor#ussarizona#wwii